HarperCollins launches education business in India

HarperCollins is launching a new education publishing division in India which will mark its "largest ever" investment in international education publishing.

Collins India, as the new division will be called, hopes to provide its first range of books to Indian schools in 2014. Colin Hughes, m.d. of Collins Education, said: “This major new initiative is HarperCollins’ largest ever investment in international education publishing, aiming to open up new opportunities in the rapidly growing market in Indian schools, where upwards of 90,000 schools teach in English.”

Collins said that the business will make use of HC's current materials across subjects including English, maths and science, but will also start to develop local content, aiming first to produce books to match India’s Central Board of Secondary Education Curriculum. It will also aim to be fully digitally supported from the outset, making partnerships with other platforms.

The m.d. of the new division will be NS Krishna, who has most recently been employed as sales director of HarperCollins India. He will be supported by Manzar Khan, the former m.d. of OUP India, who will be chief advisor for business development.

Collins India said the English-language schools textbook market in India currently stood at more that £150m, more than the market size in the UK, and is expected to grow further.

A HarperCollins spokesperson said: “India also represents an exciting future with online and mobile learning, in school and at home - and HarperCollins' strong trade experience will enable a powerful link between home and school purchase.”